Archive for May 2013

Every once in awhile (usually after watching an episode of Mad Men) we get nostalgic over here at DIVA Headquarters. We dream of the days when cocktail hour was an classy event not just a feeding frenzy at a local bar. Then we snap out of it when we remember that if we lived in Mad Men days we’d all be secretaries instead of DIVAS. That said, we do love a good cocktail! Recently the ladies in Los Angeles did our first DIVA Beverly Hills cocktail crawl.
First, we started at Dr. Simon Ourian’s Epione. Yes, that’s right! We had cocktails at the famous cosmetic surgeon’s totally chic waiting room which, by the way, looks like more fashionable lounge than your average bar. Then we headed to Lisa Vanderpump’s Villa Blanca restaurant. We were joined by a select group of fashionable LA ladies including media babes Carly Steel (TV Guide host), Shira Lazar (host of You Tube’s “What’s Trending”). We got a super-secret first look at In Touch/Life & Style Executive Editor Jo Piazza’s new book, Love Rehab

Our friends at Skinnygirl provided the cocktails and some fun recipes for the DIVAS who didn’t get to join us to try at home.

Skinnygirl Sweet Cherry Lemonade Spritzer

·1 part White Cherry Skinnygirl Vodka (Yes, white cherry vodka!)

·3 parts sparkling water

·1 part freshly squeezed lemon juice

·Frozen sweet cherries (thawed)

Place ice and thawed cherries into a glass. Mix vodka, water and lemon juice. Pour over ice. Garnish with a fresh lemon wedge.

Clean Desk 101

Maintaining a neat and organized work or home office desk is challenging in today’s busy world, but totally worth it. It’s demoralizing to face a messy desk at the beginning of a work day. It’s uncomfortable to work, think and function in the middle of disarray. A messy desk is also a drag on productivity. You get a lot more done if you don’t have to go on a five minute hunt every time you need to locate an errant file or fresh pen.

The best way to declutter a messy desk and organize your office is to designate a location for paperwork and office supplies. After all, you can’t put everything in its place if you don’t have a place for everything. Desk organizers and desk accessories will help you declutter a messy desk.

Take a look around your office. Do you have enough office shelves?

If you’re reading a blog post on how to declutter a messy desk, the answer is no, you do not have adequate office shelving. Hey, we don’t blame you. Martha Stewart is probably the only person in the world who enjoys hanging shelves. But you don’t have to be a Martha to add more shelving to your office. Just stack a desk top shelf or two on top of your desk and use it to store your reference books, file storage boxes, surplus stock of office supplies, etc. Add a few knick knacks and framed photos of your family. Now, you’ve not only taken the first step to organizing your messy desk, you’ve added style and personality to your office.

How about pencil cups, letter trays and other office space savers? Got any of those?

Of course not. That’s why your desk is a mess. Or maybe you do have the desk accessories, desk organizers and space savers you need and just aren’t using them. In either case, today is the first day of the first day of your more organized life! Office space savers are the key to a neat desk. Store loose paperwork and mail in a letter tray. Instead of leaving your office supplies to roll around in your desk drawer or clutter a messy desk, get an office supply organizer. Then, after you get the desk organizers, space savers and desk accessories you need to keep your office neat and tidy, use them. An empty pencil cup or overflowing letter tray is not going to help you declutter your desk.

Now, are you using a desk calendar?

We know you need an office calendar to track appointments, mark the days until retirement, etc. But if you work at a small messy desk, you may do better hanging a wall calendar instead. A pretty wall calendar is also another great way to personalize your office.

If you work in a small or home office, and don’t have a ton of file folders to manage, store your files in a plastic file storage box. Keep pulled files organized and close at hand with a desk top file folder sorter or file folder rack. It’s a lot easier to keep your files properly organized when you have ample file storage. Plus, finding the file you need won’t be akin to searching for a needle in a haystack.

Using a combination of desk accessories, space savers and desk organizers is the best way to declutter a messy desk.